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Brittany Owens snatched this dog from a mentally distraught man who was threatening to kill it at the hot dog stand she worked at on Sept. 19. Owens has since adopted the dog, and is nominated for a police award.
(Courtesy of Cleveland police)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A nervous, agitated man approached Brittany Owens as she worked at a hot dog stand Sept. 19 at East 79th Street and Woodland Avenue on the city's East Side.

He carried a duffel bag, and she could see two fuzzy ears inside. The man had a dog.

What she did next saved the dog's life, and inspired Lt. Timothy Gaertner to nominate her to receive an award given for heroic actions.

She asked the man what was in the bag.

"It's a dog and I don't like him I am going to kill this little dog by suffocating him," the man replied.

She asked if she could have the dog, or buy it, but it only angered the man. He insisted on killing it.

Owens snatched the bag from the man who tried to hit her. She defended herself and chased the man away.

The dog had a fresh head wound. Owens took it to a veterinary clinic for treatment, and nursed it back to health. She has now adopted the dog.

Police eventually caught up with the man after construction workers said he threatened to hurt them. The man said he had not been taking his medication.

Here's how police summed up the story:

Ms. Owens saw that dog was going to be harmed by an obviously distraught male and she quickly took action to protect the dog at great risk to her own safety. She rescued the dog, avoided being assaulted, then provided officers with an accurate description of the male. The male was, at the time, in a crisis. He was taken to be mentally evaluated and to have his medications monitored. Ms. Brittany Owens has been nominated to receive Citizens Pin for her heroic actions by Lieutenant Timothy Gaertner.